Big in Japan: Spider silk socks warm the toes and sooth the soul

by Matthew Firestone on

In case you thought Japanese technology couldn’t get any cooler, wait until you hear about the latest and greatest invention from the land of the Rising Sun.

This week, the Reuters Life! division reported that Japanese researchers were successful in creating the first ever pair of socks made entirely from spider silk.

Yup. You read that correctly – spider silk socks!

Dr. Masao Nakagaki, a professor at Shinshu University in central Japan who developed the fiber after 10 years of research, gave the following press release:

“By genetically modifying silkworms, I thought it might be possible to create good spider silk. I [also] think it is better for the environment to replace artificial fibers that use up precious oil with natural recyclable fibers.”

Dr. Nakagaki went on to explain how his team succeeded in creating spider silk that was 10 percent spider proteins and 90 percent silk by injecting genes from a golden orb weaving spider into silkworms.

(For the non-scientists out there, I’ll explain what this means a little later on in the post).

Anyway, at this point, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “So why exactly are spider threads so damn strong?”

Good question! Allow me to explain…

Spiders can produce at least seven different types of silk, which are used for a variety of different purposes. For instance, extremely tough threads are used to attach the web to trees, while light and elastic fibers are use to build the web’s matrix.

In fact, some spider silk is molecularly stronger than steel, and lighter than all-known artificial fibers, such as the Kevlar found in bullet-proof vests.

Right now you’re probably thinking to yourself, “So why is that spider silk clothing isn’t available at my local Walmart?”

Another good question! Allow me to explain…

The problem with harvesting spider silk is that it’s difficult to near impossible to mass-produce due to the limited amount that spiders can make.

This of course is why the work of Dr. Nakagaki is so groundbreaking.

By injecting spider genes into a silkworm, you can take advantage of the strength of spider threads while capitalizing on the ability of silkworms to produce mass quantities of fibers.

(At this point, I’ll resist the temptation to throw in a good Spiderman joke here!)

The benefits of spider silk socks don’t just stop there!

In addition to warming your toes, the research team wants their line of spider silk socks to be as therapeutic as possible for the wearer.

Although they’re still keeping hush-hush about the project, their aim is to simultaneously revitalize the wearer’s feet while possibly inducing anti-ageing compounds.

Working alongside the research team is Yoshiyuki Ueda of the Okamoto Corp, who gave the following press release:

“The Japanese sock industry has been overwhelmed by Chinese manufacturers, which is why we want to distinguish ourselves with our unique efforts.”

In case you’re wondering, spider silk socks are expected to hit the consumer market as early as 2010, though you can expect that there will more clothing and accessories to follow in the years to come.

** All photos were sourced from the Wikipedia Commons project **

How to dress well on the road

by Martha Edwards on

Most of the travelling I do is for pleasure, not business, so I don’t have to worry too much about what I am wearing or what condition my clothes arrive in (jeans and hoodies don’t tend to get too wrinkly anyway.) But on the occasion that I actually have to look like I’m not some punk teenager, it’s hard to decide what to bring. Here are some tips on how to look good on the road:

  • Dress for airport security. Leave metal jewelery at home, wear slip-on shoes and don’t dress in too many layers because you might be expected to peel them off.
  • Don’t pack too many colours. When you’re dressing for business, you should look good, and looking good means wearing pieces that work together for a unified outfit. And what colours go with everything? Black and neutrals.
  • Don’t leave the accessories at home. The right accessories can make an already-worn outfit look new. Pick some multi-purpose ones that you can mix and match with every outfit in your suitcase.
  • Use the laundry service. There’s no reason why you can’t wear a blouse or pair of slacks twice if it looks good.
  • Not to be somber but … Airlines recommend you wear natural fibers, just in case, you know, you’re exposed to extreme heat or fire. Artificial fibers can melt onto and burn your skin.

My advice? Non-wrinkle fabrics are awesome for packing, and a little black dress is multi-functional, ladies.

Hidden Pocket Pants Project (HPPP): Completed

by Justin Glow on

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I dislike wearing a money belt. I understand and respect their importance in keeping your documents safely nested near your crotch, but they’re uncomfortable. Most trips I end up wearing it for a week or two before the nasty combination of laziness and a belt rash kicks into high gear and I end up scrapping the pouch in favor of nervously traveling around with one hand in my pocket at all times.

But, as a few of you might remember, I ran across a nifty little tutorial on sewing a hidden pocket into your pants. When I saw it, I knew had to try it out… so that’s exactly what I did this past week. With the help of my lovely girlfriend (who did 100% of the sewing), I now have two pairs of pants with a built-in secret pocket. It’s every little boy’s dream.

We used a stretchy, breathable material and sewed it on the inside of the pocket. Check out the gallery below. It’s definitely not the prettiest thing in the world, but who’s going to be looking down my pants anyway, right?

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Traveler’s Phrase Book T-shirt

by Justin Glow on

This company is selling an overpriced t-shirt designed to be worn by travelers who are in a country whose inhabitants don’t speak their native tongue. The idea is that instead of attempting to communicate with someone who knows where the bathroom is, for instance, you annoyingly point to the international symbol for bathroom on your shirt. Other symbols include hospital, airplane, bedding (for hotel), telephone, restaurant, money exchange, and Internet cafe (or post office, whatever those things are).

This can surely make life on the road in a foreign country easier — but is that what we want? It seems a bit disrespectful and caveman-like (no offense, Geico guys) to walk around in a foreign country pointing to things on your shirt when you want something instead of taking a few minutes of your time to learn these common phrases in your host’s language. [via]

Burton’s Sleeper Hoodie — Plane Fashion

by Justin Glow on

Snowboard manufacturer, Burton, is introducing a new hooded jacket designed specifically for comfortable flying. It features a built-in eye shade, iPod/ticket/passport pocket, armpit zippers (to cool you down if necessary), and a built-in neck pillow. I’m sure there are a bunch of other hidden features that they don’t even tell you about — they just sell you the jacket and let you explore it on your own. Plus there’s a big jumbo jet on the front in case you have a bunch of black hoodies and need a quick reminder as to which one you should be wearing on the plane.

I couldn’t find the jacket on their website…so I guess it’s not available for purchase yet. My price guesstimate is $90.